Commitment to Nursing Excellence Reaffirmed at Mid Coast Hospital

American Nurses Credential Center Awards Elite Magnet® Status for the Third Time

May 16, 2019

For the third time in 10 years, Mid Coast Hospital has achieved Magnet® designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), an honor achieved by eight percent of hospitals nationwide. Only three percent of U.S. hospitals have achieved the designation three consecutive times.

Achieving repeated recognition as a Magnet hospital is a testament to the exemplary nursing care Mid Coast Hospital provides and its dedication to continued excellence. Magnet designation is the highest and most prestigious international distinction a healthcare organization or hospital can receive for nursing excellence and outstanding patient care.

Mid Coast Hospital was first named a Magnet hospital in 2009, when it became Maine's first community hospital to achieve the designation. Every five years since, it has undergone the process of re-applying, a rigorous task that involves gathering evidence of achieving the high standards required. Mid Coast Hospital received re-designation in 2014 and now again in 2019.

Each cycle, an expert team of appraisers from around the country visited the hospital to conduct a thorough onsite evaluation and speak directly with staff, patients, families, and other community members, which ultimately led to the re-designation decisions.

Kristin Anthony, RNC, MSN, NEA-BC, and Vice President for Nursing and Patient Care Services at Mid Coast–Parkview Health, led the most recent re-designation process.

"Achieving Magnet recognition for the third consecutive time is not only indicative of our hospital’s devotion to delivering the best care possible, but also our diligence in maintaining that standard for a decade," she said. "Magnet designation is a distinguished honor, and this re-designation would have been impossible without the incredible level of dedication each and every person in our organization demonstrates daily."

The American Nurses Credentialing Center is a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. ANCC developed the Magnet Recognition Program® in 1990 to recognize hospitals, and eventually other healthcare organizations, that exhibit nursing excellence. Research indicates that generally, Magnet hospitals demonstrate better patient outcomes and higher patient satisfaction than hospitals that have not achieved this classification. The evidence Mid Coast Hospital submitted to the Magnet Commission clearly supports the research.

"The nurses and staff of Mid Coast are incredibly deserving of this designation, and we are tremendously grateful for the passion and dedication to the work they do each day," said Lois Skillings, RN, President and CEO of Mid Coast–Parkview Health.

The Magnet Program is just one indicator that Mid Coast–Parkview Health relies on to continuously measure and improve quality in the care it provides. In early 2019, the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons re-accredited Mid Coast Hospital’s comprehensive cancer care program with Three-Year Accreditation with Commendation at the Bronze Level. Mid Coast Hospital also has one of only five Joint Commission certified Primary Stroke Centers in the State.

"Magnet hospitals are far and few between. Maintaining this designation for three consecutive surveys, in addition to our accreditation from the Joint Commission and the Commission on Cancer, are testaments to our commitment of providing excellent healthcare," said Skillings.